CIFF 2026 Movie Reviews: Fatherland, What Belongs to Others

Continuing my coverage of the 2026 Chicago International Film Festival, here are my reviews of Pawel Pawlikowski’s Fatherland and Grzegorz Debowski’s crime drama What Belongs to Others.

Fatherland is Pawel Pawlikowski’s first feature film since his 2018 Oscar-nominated film, Cold War. Like Cold War and Pawlikowski’s debut feature, Ida, Fatherland takes place in post-war Europe, this time moving away from Poland, like his first two films, to Germany to look at a complicated country post-World War II.

Taking place in the summer of 1949, just after World War II and at the beginning stages of the Cold War, Fatherland finds author Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler), accompanied by his actress and writer daughter Erika (Sandra Hüller), returning to Allied-occupied Germany to receive an award after fleeing to the United States 13 years prior. While accepting his award, Thomas decides to accept an additional award in a Soviet-controlled part of Germany, much to Erika’s dismay. Thomas and Erika travel across war-demolished Germany in a black Buick, as their journey to Communist territory puts in jeopardy their return to the US.

I’m never one to complain about a film being short, but Fatherland’s 82-minute runtime (including credits) felt a little too short. The film could have added a few minutes to build the relationship between Erika and her troubled brother Klaus (August Diehl), or do more of a dissection of post-war Germany and how Thomas and Erika are navigating the changing landscape of their homeland. Zischler and Hüller give excellent performances, but I felt there was more for them to explore. The film’s final sequence is beautiful, but would have landed harder with more emotional build-up.

Fatherland is an undeniably gorgeous movie. Like his previous films, it is shot in beautiful black-and-white by frequent Pawlikowski cinematographer Łukasz Żal. Some shots in the film are truly breathtaking, looking like a wartime photograph come to life. Żal effectively balances heavy shadows when necessary, while also making the film bright when Thomas and Erika are traveling during the day. Pawlikowski’s film is a visual treat, even if the narrative doesn’t reach the same heights.

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What Belongs to Others is a movie that rests on the shoulders of its lead actress, Monika Kwiatkowska. She plays Kasia, a woman living in Warsaw, Poland, with her troubled boyfriend Darik (Robert Mania). Darik is domineering towards Kasia and is wanted by the law for several crimes. Kasia and Darik make a living by going into apartment complexes and breaking into apartments by seeing if their doors are unlocked. Sometimes nobody is home; other times the tenants are there, which makes the theft more complicated. It’s not a good life, and Kasia wants more from it.

When Darik gets arrested for a petty theft, he leaves Kasia broke and homeless. She proceeds to break into an apartment and finds the tenant has killed himself, which she initially sees as a prosperous opportunity. She begins to explore what the man’s life was, and it takes her on a journey of her own self-discovery.

What Belongs to Others has a real documentary feel. Director Grzegorz Debowski cast relatively unknown cinematic actors (most of them are stage actors from around Poland), used real locations across Warsaw, and utilized a handheld camera for most of the film. This gave the film a raw, authentic feel. You feel like a third wheel during Kasia and Darik’s schemes, and when Darik goes to jail, we take the journey hand-in-hand with Kasia. Debowski’s style makes for a relatively quiet film, though it meanders a bit in the middle; the quiet, patient nature of the film is loaded with emotion, especially in the film’s third act, which hit like a ton of bricks.

What Belongs to Others is Kwiatkowska’s movie. Kwiatowska only has one other feature film performance on her record (Debowski’s debut, Tyle co nic), but she gives a powerhouse turn here, like that of a seasoned pro. Kwiatowska’s performance rests in her eyes and posture. Kasia doesn’t say much, but you can see her assess every situation before she moves or speaks. Even in stressful moments, like being kicked out of her apartment or being questioned by the police, Kasia never breaks, yet we feel her pain and intensity. Kwiatowska makes Kasia complex, compelling, and empathetic, even if she is a petty criminal. It is one of the most impressive performances I have seen in any movie this year, and it makes What Belongs to Others an indie gem from an up-and-coming Polish artist.

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